“I’m the general manager of this store and responsible for the mall. If there’s an issue, please let me know,” the woman replied sternly, already influenced by the guard’s account of the situation.
“Great,” Bianca smiled, turning around and pointing to a corner. “Look at that camera over there. It should have captured our spot. Reviewing the footage will show if someone cut ahead of us.”
The manager followed Bianca’s gesture and noticed the camera hidden in the corner.
Ashley was completely surprised. She had scanned the area earlier but hadn’t noticed any camera. It was well-hidden, not easily spotted by most people.
The manager nodded and instructed the security guard, “Please review the surveillance footage.”
Then, she turned to Bianca with a more understanding expression. “Miss, if it’s confirmed that someone cut the line, you’ll have my full support. Just give us a moment.”
Bianca nodded gratefully. Meanwhile, Ashley felt trapped. She wanted to leave but knew that doing so would imply guilt. Given its remote placement, Ashley desperately hoped the camera hadn’t captured her actions.
After a while, the security guard returned. He leaned in and whispered something to the manager. The manager’s expression turned serious as she focused on Ashley. “Ma’am, after reviewing the footage, it’s clear that you did cut the line. Please step aside for these two ladies immediately, or we’ll have to ask security to escort you out.”
Upon hearing this, everyone nearby turned to Ashley with expressions of disapproval.
“It seems she really did cut the line. That’s disappointing.”
“Look at her trying to hide her face. It’s no wonder why the camera didn’t catch her clearly.”
“She must be concealing her identity. Why else cover up like that?”
“Can you believe she’s an actress? It reflects poorly on the entertainment industry.”
Ashley gritted her teeth in frustration. She never imagined she would be caught on camera like this.
Now, Ashley was in a tough situation, feeling like she was holding onto a wild animal’s tail. She reluctantly had to follow behind Bianca.
Olivia couldn’t help teasing Ashley, silently thinking she must have lost her mind.
“Ashley, maybe we shouldn’t stay,” Olivia suggested, tugging at Ashley’s sleeve. She was too embarrassed to linger any longer. If their identities were exposed, it could cause trouble.
But Ashley shrugged off Olivia’s hand, saying defiantly, “Why not? I want to see what they can really afford. They’ll probably just choose the cheapest thing from Cherish.”
Ashley felt relieved that she was well-disguised that day. Even if the camera had caught her, she knew she wouldn’t be recognized. If any negative news did come out, she planned to have Joshua use his influence and money to make it go away.
She looked forward to mocking Bianca if she couldn’t pay later on.
Wearing a gentle smile, the manager addressed Bianca and Diana, “I sincerely apologize. It was a misunderstanding caused by our security guard’s oversight. Please forgive us.”
“If a prestigious brand and mall can wrongly accuse customers without investigating, it could damage our reputation. Who would want to spend money here?” Diana retorted, crossing her arms in frustration.
The manager met Diana’s gaze and acknowledged, “You make a valid point. How about this? Please provide your identity details. As compensation, our store will offer both of you a complimentary membership card and a lovely gift.”
Cherish’s membership cards typically required significant spending. Holders enjoyed priority access and a 10% discount on purchases.
At this offer, envious glances from the onlookers were directed towards Bianca and Diana.
There was a collective longing among the onlookers, wishing they were the ones receiving this unexpected privilege.
Ashley defiantly stomped her foot, but her lack of conviction was evident; she already felt at a disadvantage.
Ironically, the membership card Bianca received had originally been offered to Ashley.
“That sounds fair,” Diana conceded, her tone softening. She lightly touched Bianca’s arm, receiving a thumbs-up in return.
After recording Bianca and Diana’s information, the manager said, “Please wait a moment.”
Ten minutes passed before the manager came back with a woman dressed in stylish clothes.
The woman looked closely at Bianca and asked, “Are you Miss Bianca Scott?”
Bianca, puzzled, nodded, “Yes, that’s me. And who are you?”
“I’m Caroline Gardner, the head agent overseeing Cherish’s operations in this country.”
Caroline’s position as the top manager at Cherish’s local division amazed everyone who looked at her.
“Hi,” Bianca greeted Caroline, feeling a bit unsure.
Caroline smiled graciously and said to Bianca, “Miss Scott, it’s lovely to meet you. Ms. Graciel Morgan herself mentioned that you can choose any Cherish products for free, and all your purchases at Cherish worldwide are covered.”
Bianca looked at Caroline with confusion. Who was Bianca to receive such special treatment from Ms. Graciel Morgan?
“Ms. Graciel Morgan?” Bianca asked, clearly puzzled.
“She’s the founder and chief designer of Cherish,” Diana exclaimed, gripping Bianca’s arm with excitement. “Oh my God, Bianca, you know her?”
Bianca shook her head. “I don’t know her. Are you sure you’ve got the right person?”
Until now, Bianca had little knowledge about the Cherish brand. How could she possibly be connected to its founder?
Caroline smiled warmly and said, “I may have been mistaken earlier. But now that I see you, I’m certain there’s no mistake.”
“Why? She’s not rich. You must be wrong,” Ashley protested angrily from behind them.
Caroline glanced at Ashley, her dissatisfaction apparent, though she maintained a professional demeanor. “Miss, this directive comes directly from Graciel to all agents worldwide. Only Miss Scott is entitled to this privilege.”
Ashley was left speechless.
The entire gathering, including Bianca, stood in stunned silence. After all, it was Graciel-the name that resonated throughout the fashion world.
Graciel was widely known to be bold and unconventional, and her designs were highly distinctive. Her annual designs had become limited editions for Cherish, eagerly sought after by fashion enthusiasts worldwide.
“Miss Scott, as a Cherish VIP, please come with me. I’ll escort you to choose your items first,” Caroline guided, gesturing for Bianca to follow.
Ashley had expected to embarrass Bianca during payment but was taken aback. Not only did Bianca become a VIP, but her entire purchase was free.
Jealousy and annoyance swirled inside Ashley. How had Bianca hidden so much from her?
How could someone like Bianca be connected to the founder of such a huge brand?
Trying repeatedly to undermine Bianca, Ashley found their gap widening instead of closing.
In frustration, Ashley pulled out her phone to contact Haris, wondering what he was up to. Bianca’s sudden rise and what Ashley saw as arrogance bothered her deeply.
No matter how hard she tried, Haris’s phone stayed off, adding to Ashley’s frustration.
She thought Haris was completely unreliable.